NSF, a public health and safety organisation, announced a formal partnership with the Indian Drug Manufacturers’ Association (IDMA) to provide a tailored Current Good Manufacturing Practices (cGMP) framework for the country’s nutraceutical manufacturers. The joint effort was made official at a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signing ceremony, attended by NSF’s leadership team, including Pedro Sancha, President and CEO; Scott Morris, Sr VP of International Markets and Laboratories; and Jyoti Bhasin, MD, APAC. Dr George A Patani, Sr VP, IDMA, and Dr R K Sanghavi, Chairman, Nutraceutical Committee, were also present.
Dr Patani said, “This strategic partnership will strengthen the Indian nutra industry by establishing rigorous cGMP standards tailored to local regulatory and operational requirements while aligning with best global practices.”
A statement informed that the MoU underscores the strong partnership between IDMA and NSF in various categories the Food Business Operator (FBO) currently caters to – health supplements, food for special dietary use (FSDU), food for special medical purposes (FSMP), pro-/pre-biotics, novel food as well as functional food and beverages, herein referred collectively as “nutraceuticals.”
“In recognising the evolving requirements of manufacturers in India, this collaboration between NSF and IDMA presents an opportunity to fulfill industry needs through a tiered approach being conceptualised. Together, we are committed to supporting local businesses while also meeting the demands of international trade and exports. By offering a suite of services and customising them to reflect local nuances and regulatory frameworks, we are committed to paving the way for success,” said Bhasin.
As outlined in the MOU, NSF and IDMA will work together in the following areas:
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Development of cGMP requirements. NSF and IDMA will develop a tailored cGMP framework for Indian FBOs but based on best global practices.
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Audit and certification services. NSF will perform independent audits to evaluate compliance with cGMP standards and issue certifications to qualifying manufacturers.
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Capacity building and technical support. Both parties will co-host training programs and workshops to enhance industry capacity and understanding of cGMP requirements.
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Industry engagement. IDMA will engage NSF with its members to promote cGMP program participation and coordinate training sessions.
“NSF is proud to once again partner with IDMA and support nutraceutical manufacturers across the country. This initiative exemplifies our ‘Glocal’ strategy, which focuses on responding to local market demands using services grounded in global support. With the nutraceutical market expected to reach 30 per cent of the pharma sector, this partnership between NSF and IDMA is key to advancing India’s manufacturing standards and unlocking tremendous growth potential,” said Sancha.
In 2017, NSF partnered with IDMA to provide a customised, five-module pharma quality management (PQM) education program in Bangalore. The partnership continued in 2018 when NSF again teamed up with IDMA to offer the same program in Bangalore.
Dr Sanghavi remarked, “IDMA is proud to collaborate with NSF to elevate the standards of health supplement and nutraceutical manufacturing in India. This MoU is effective and continues to reflect the intent of both parties to work in good faith towards the shared goals in the Indian nutraceutical sector.”